Professor of Italian language and literature at the Faculties of Education and of Letters and Philosophy of the Catholic University of Sacro Cuore of Milan, 1937–1939.

He received his episcopal consecration on the following 7 December from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, with Archbishop Anacleto Cazzaniga and Bishop Giuseppe Schiavini serving as co-consecrators.

[2] On 6 January 1965, he presided at the ceremonies marking the completion of the construction of the Milan Cathedral, begun in 1397, by blessing the last of its five bronze doors and celebrating Mass.

Silvestro e Martino ai Monti by Pope Paul VI in the consistory of 22 February 1965, and was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978.

In the latter conclave, although ill, he obtained many votes as a compromise candidate between Giuseppe Siri and Giovanni Benelli, but he stated that he would decline the papacy in the event of his election.